Interview with Silvia Menéndez Fernádez, who will study 1º Bachillerato in Nova Scotia, Canada

Silvia is a student in 4o de la ESO at IES César Rodríguez who was recently awarded an Amancio Ortega scholarship to study for a year in Canada. Amancio Ortega, the founder of Zara, sends 500 Spaniards a year to high schools across Canada and the US for a year of bachillerato. Our school’s English language assistant, Ben, interviewed Silvia about her upcoming experience, with help from Silvia’s classmates.

What are you most excited about?

Silvia: I’m excited to have a truly immersive experience for the first time. It will really help my english.

How long have you been studying English?

I’ve always been in the bilingual program at school, so since I was 4. I also watch a lot of series in English.

Where will you be living?

I’ll be living in Nova Scotia, which is on the eastern coast of Canada. I’m not sure whether I’ll be in a city like Halifax or a small town. It would be interesting to get to know everyone in a smaller town and I’m sure that would be good for my English level.

Do you think you’ll miss your family?

I’m sure there will be days where I miss them, like Christmas Eve. But I’m not allowed to have much contact with them and they’re not allowed to visit me, so I will have to get used to living with my host family.

How will you meet friends?

This will be difficult but I will approach people and try to talk to them about things we have in common. One idea is to ask them if they’ve seen my favorite TV series, like “Stranger Things.” Maybe we can start a conversation about that and then we’ll become friends.

Will you try to play sports or participate in any extracurricular activities while you’re there?

I will probably try to play volleyball but it depends how good the school’s team is!

How would you feel about living with a pet?

I would love to live with a dog! I have been asking my parents for a dog since I was little but they always said no. I love dogs!

What’s a food you’re excited to try?

Poutine. It’s basically french fries with gravy and cheese on them. I’ve heard it’s really, really good.

Would you like to go to a prom?

I’d love to. I know high schools in Canada usually have a prom or a winter ball, which I think would be very fun.

What’s the one thing you’d like to learn or do while you’re there?

Learn to ski. I’ve always wanted to learn how to ski and I think this is a great opportunity.

Finally, are you scared?

No.

All of the members of the César Rodríguez Bilingual Program would like to congratulate Silvia on this great accomplishment, and wish her the very best of luck during her year in Canada. We’re sure she’ll do great!

By Benjamin Sherman, Teaching Assistant at IES César César Rodríguez